To think people saying “I can’t get a job in a supermarket because I’m over qualified” is bollocks?

[Washyourhands48]

I have a Bsc, my husband has one too.

After years in the Civil Service and a lot of stress, we both took the decision to take voluntary redundancies and have both been very happy in supermarket jobs on a part time basis since. So it really gets my goat when I see ‘this “over qualified” nonsense being quoted on here. Supermarket interviews do not ask you what your PhD is in or anything like that, the fact is that you were hit just right for the job and probably thought it was beneath you which probably cama across at interview.

AIBU?

Actually, that wouldn't work for a degree would it as no one would take a career break straight after school!

I wouldn't leave qualifications off an actual application form as they usually have small print about how by submitting the form you are agreeing that you have told the truth and not misrepresented yourself.

A CV would be easier to adjust without actually lying.

Anyone would be extremely lucky to get a full time supermarket job now, or even a decent part time job. They are all one, two or three part time shifts (sometimes as little as 3 hours pw but always under 15) - they rely on people being desperate for more shifts so can pick and choose when they offer overtime so all requirements are covered and no risk of the store being overstaffed at times (or even properly staffed

@BessieSurtees

I worked alongside a recruitment project once and basically the supermarkets didn’t want anyone who was going to give them any bother. By bother I mean someone who would refuse to work 24 hours in 4 hour shifts with little notice, someone who could be bothered to look up health & safety, someone who had more knowledge than the manager, someone who they thought wanted a stop gap. They wanted people who needed the job enough to put up with the often poor working conditions. I don’t mean desperate for a job but that it ticked enough boxes to be worth it.

So while some people might go in to interview thinking they are superior it’s often about the managers ego too. Though I can’t for the life of me think why you would take a briefcase to a supermarket checkout interview. Would you not research your audience?

I hate it when I hear people say I may as well quit and get a job in a supermarket, like they were two a penny and easy life. My friend works in Aldi and I think she works harder than I do with some really early starts on a varied shift pattern and with customer abuse. A social work colleague burned out and got a job on Tesco checkout and she loves it, goes into work does her shift and goes home.

All of this. Managers who don't treat their workforces particularly well have every incentive to avoid recruiting people who are going to be trouble.

It's also really arrogant of people who do have higher academic qualifications to imagine that supermarkets are necessarily going to be interested in these. It inflates their value. Sure, it might show you're smart and can think in a certain way, but that isn't something that is needed in every role. Why on earth would someone who is recruiting for shelf stacking roles give a shit about a BSc? And you can multiply this by about a million given the current state of the economy

I have applied for several jobs at Tesco, I'm after part time flexible hours to work around children at school, so nights, weekends etc all the unsociable hours would be ideal. I have over 20 years retail experience, 10 of which were as management I can't get past the move to interview stage, it seems to be pot luck to actually be able to book an interview - there's no warning when the slots come available & I have contacted their recruitment team but no reply, my friend had mentioned about being over qualified for the roles as a reason for not getting anywhere, which is annoying but also I'd be more than happy with picking online shopping orders in the middle of the night!

Totally agree @Washyourhands48

The degrees/post grad qualifications don't even need to be on the CV if you don't want to show it.

Basically what those people are saying is that working for a supermarket/takeaway/shop/bar/cafe etc is beneath them and they don't want to do it and so make up excuses.

My friend works in a supermarket and interviews and she is only interested in efficient, reliable people who are also friendly and helpful. Pompous windbags need not apply but having a degree will not block your application at all.

@Clockworkprincess

Its not about being over qualified at all. My dp has a degree and used to work in a high pressure job. He left that at Christmas and during lockdown started work as emergency staff at a supermarket. He actually enjoyed it that much he applied and got a job working nights in the same chain. It works well so we don't need wrap around care etc and he's happier than he's been in years and they are looking at progression.

Using lockdown as an example of how easy it was to get a job with a supermarket is really daft. Round here they said to turn up with ID and black trousers and you could start the same day. It’s common sense that they’d keep some of those staff on after the initial panic stage. If your dp had applied in normal times you’d easily have a different story.

Why on earth would someone who is recruiting for shelf stacking roles give a shit about a BSc?

It's not about someone thinking they are better at the job because they have a degree, but because the reality is they are likely to be keeping an other eye out for opportunities; training someone to then have to recruit again and train someone new is teedious. With students its predictable when they are likely to leave etc.

@Clockworkprincess

That's brilliant. Work ethic shines through in the end.

'ts not about being over qualified at all. My dp has a degree and used to work in a high pressure job. He left that at Christmas and during lockdown started work as emergency staff at a supermarket. He actually enjoyed it that much he applied and got a job working nights in the same chain. It works well so we don't need wrap around care etc and he's happier than he's been in years and they are looking at progression.'

Are you expert in the hiring practices of ALL supermarkets OP?

It's not that easy for all the reasons that have already been listed.

I guess people in OP situation might be underqualified for jobs where they don't have experience. Employers do also like people to be committed to the job so having irrelevant qualifications can be perceived negatively even by good employers who aren't just looking for people to exploit.

[quote Browneyesbigbum]@Clockworkprincess

That's brilliant. Work ethic shines through in the end.

'ts not about being over qualified at all. My dp has a degree and used to work in a high pressure job. He left that at Christmas and during lockdown started work as emergency staff at a supermarket. He actually enjoyed it that much he applied and got a job working nights in the same chain. It works well so we don't need wrap around care etc and he's happier than he's been in years and they are looking at progression.'[/quote]
Please tell us more about how your H applying for tempoary emergancy position during a once in a life time event applies to to the typical day to day process...

It’s easy to use that though isn’t it? Supermarkets indeed mainly use screening questions to get you to an interview. They have so many applications, they don’t even look at your educational achievements if you have failed at those.

So basically, if you can’t get a job at a supermarket, you failed the screening questions but it seems ok to smugly pass it off as you’re “overqualified”.

I don't follow that. If the only reason people don't get jobs in supermarkets is that they fail the screening process, why do supermarkets have interviews at all?

I think people who describe themselves as over-qualified and refuse to apply but also complain about not having money etc are being unreasonable.

However those who try at applications and interviews but don’t get it are trying their best. Working in different jobs requires different skills - physical stamina, ability to do shift work, customer service. Maybe they do not have that and there are more qualified people in those areas. Or maybe the person hiring wanted to screen out those they thought might leave soon or whatever.

@Elsewyre

"It’s easy to use that though isn’t it? Supermarkets indeed mainly use screening questions to get you to an interview. They have so many applications, they don’t even look at your educational achievements if you have failed at those.

So basically, if you can’t get a job at a supermarket, you failed the screening questions but it seems ok to smugly pass it off as you’re “overqualified”."

Are you seriously gatekeeping working in a supermarket?

Gatekeeping? Your rolly eyes emoji seems to imply you think working in a supermarket is beneath you? Over qualified, eh?

The degrees/post grad qualifications don't even need to be on the CV if you don't want to show it.

But then you will have a very suspicious gap in your CV which any half-awake interviewer will ask about.

YANBU. I think a lot of “over qualified” simply don’t tailor their CV for the role

The supermarkets obviously pick people who already have experience or students if they are looking for flexibility for shifts etc.

Why would they select someone in their 50s and retired from teaching (me?)

I have applied for several supermarket jobs and the online questions they ask you are impossible to get wrong if you have a basic level of literacy so I don’t believe that is the reason the average person doesn’t get an interview.

The Tesco ones were multiple choice eg If a customer asks you where the bread is, do you say A) over there and point? B) I don’t know or C) I’ll show you, follow me, is there anything else I can help you with?

@Marisishidinginmyattic it wasn't the lockdown that got him the job it made him decide he wanted to apply, the supermarket he was working at during lockdown didn't keep anyone on from the extra staff. Completely different shop and he had a month without work inbetween.
@Browneyesbigbum i think it is a case of work ethic. No matter how unhappy he put 100 percent into his previous job and now he's happier he's smashing it and getting overtime offered left right and centre, bit sad for me and him in terms of seeing each other but for now its what needs to be done

I imagine retail to be quite pressured though, with time and motion studies, customers to deal with, so I'd find it stressful. Maybe there is a good cameraderie though. Last time I worked in a shop was 1997 and the world was different then - who puts price stickers on things these days?!

@Pobblebonk

It’s easy to use that though isn’t it? Supermarkets indeed mainly use screening questions to get you to an interview. They have so many applications, they don’t even look at your educational achievements if you have failed at those.

So basically, if you can’t get a job at a supermarket, you failed the screening questions but it seems ok to smugly pass it off as you’re “overqualified”.

I don't follow that. If the only reason people don't get jobs in supermarkets is that they fail the screening process, why do supermarkets have interviews at all?

The reason they have interviews is to pluck out those who have turned up just to fulfil their JSA/UC requirements and aren’t actually interested in working among other things. If you turn up, are pleasant, seem like a team player then you’re hired. I had a (gag) group interview with around 12 others and 11 of us were taken on bar the obvious “I’m only here because the Job Centre told me to” person. No discussion of qualifications at all.

@Ballany

Why on earth would someone who is recruiting for shelf stacking roles give a shit about a BSc?

It's not about someone thinking they are better at the job because they have a degree, but because the reality is they are likely to be keeping an other eye out for opportunities; training someone to then have to recruit again and train someone new is teedious. With students its predictable when they are likely to leave etc.

Yes, absolutely. And my point is, there's zero reason for anyone to imagine that just because they consider a BSc to be of value, someone recruiting for a role where it's completely irrelevant would agree. Slagging people for allegedly thinking certain roles are beneath them completely ignores that the people recruiting for these roles have their own set of criteria.

I hired for supermarkets for 16 years. It's about who gives a good interview and would be engaging, friendly and professional with customers. You would be surprised at how some "over qualified" people can come off in an interview. My favourite was, when I called a candidate to let them know they hadn't been successful (in the days before auto emails!) their response was "I've got a masters in psychology and you're an overpaid drongo in a shop. You should be grateful I even turned up". I have hundreds more stories like that. The flip side is how grateful genuinely nice people are to be given a job. It's absolutely nothing to do with being "over qualified" (no such thing in retail - we're lucky to get who we can) but much more to do with not being an arsehole.

[quote Clockworkprincess]@Marisishidinginmyattic it wasn't the lockdown that got him the job it made him decide he wanted to apply, the supermarket he was working at during lockdown didn't keep anyone on from the extra staff. Completely different shop and he had a month without work inbetween.
@Browneyesbigbum i think it is a case of work ethic. No matter how unhappy he put 100 percent into his previous job and now he's happier he's smashing it and getting overtime offered left right and centre, bit sad for me and him in terms of seeing each other but for now its what needs to be done[/quote]
I bet the supermarket EXPERIENCE from walking into a job during lockdown helped though. If he’d gone in for that second job with just his qualifications and no supermarket experience, do you think he’d have been hired over someone with fewer qualifications but more supermarket experience? Your dp doesn’t prove anything about getting jobs with qualifications because he had the supermarket experience.

Well, I have been helping my son with job applications recently and did the test for him for the Co-op. The response was that I had passed but that other people had scored more highly so they wouldn't be taking the application any further.

So no, can't seem to be able to get a job in a supermarket, despite my qualifications! Next time he'll be doing the application himself!